Classic British Flight Sim

Hi guys,

does anyone here own and operate trackIR? I know very little about it or how it works and what flightsims support it.

All I know is that its a fancy headset that moves in time in the simulator when your head moves. And thats about all I know.

The only reason I ask is that the wife has asked me what I would like for christmas and I said I have no idea.

Until I saw a youtube clip of this product by accident and became very interested.

Yes you may laugh as no doubt this technology has been around for some time but I would like to know if anyone would advise for or against it.

Seems an ingenius little idea but does it have an impact on FPS and the workings of the flightsim?

Are there different packages available? Where is best to buy it?

Comments as always, very welcome!

Thanks

Get one your FS will never be the same without it!!! I picked up a bargin off ebay, yes bargin at £67! thats for TrackIR4 Pro! Anyway, you have two options for the attachment, you can either use the cap clip or the headset clip. Basically, you move your head very slightly in RL, the software interpritates this movement and moves the FS camera a larger ammount. This can be changed in the software and is also dependant on where you have the IR camera...

The version i have supports FSX with the latest software download... So it will obviously run in FS9...

After the innitial getting used to it, yourll find yourself flying in the pit more, looking outwards, instead of being in an external view... Its easier to fly using TrackIR becuase you can look where you are aiming to be, especially landing and low level flights...

I could never fly without it now I have had one for a couple of years. IMHO it should be a simmer's 2nd hardware purchase after a decent stick/yoke and before rudder pedals. It really does make a huge difference to the 'experience'.

As to what sims can use it....some can handle all six 'degrees of freedom' (6DOF) while others only support four (4DOF). FSX, FS9 and 'Battle of Britain II - Wings of Victory' all have 6DOF, IL2 only has 4DOF IIRC.

It's not only used in flight sims either, a lot of racing games (GTR2 for instance) use it as do a lot of first-person shooters (like ARMA and others).

I say go for it (you won't regret it), especially if someone is buying it for you.

Hi,

I like it and you can customise it nicely by using different profiles. Superb for when you're in the circuit and want a quick glance around. Makes for a more immersive sim. Mine's an ealier variant but I am still pleased with it. I've got the headset attachment but haven't used it yet as I don't often fly with a headset now. For the hat clip I've got one of those little golfers 'sunshade' jobbies that looks like a baseball cap with no lid on. Just don't let anyone see you wearing it. .

Go for it, I'm sure you'll be pleased.

John

Track IR really comes into its own in small virtual cockpits, such as a single seater. In addition to being able to look round for the runway while you are in the circuit, there is something called Six Degrees of Freedom, or 6DoF as its known. You are in a tail-dragger's VC, but can't see the taxiway ahead ? With Track IR 4, you can move your head to one side and look round the nose, or lift up a bit and look over the nose.

That small gauge that you cant quite see...look at it, then move you head closer to the screen, and you zoom in on the gauge.

In an open cockpit with photo-real scenery below, and using a road atlas for VFR navigation ? With 6DoF, you can look down over the side of the cockpit and see whats underneath you.

You can enable/disable it as you wish, and I prefer it turned off on finals because I like to keep the runway at a fixed reference point to the panel...but thats it. Once I'm down, I re-enable it to taxi to the apron

Track IR worked for me straight out of the box, I've never had to adjust it or alter the settings. Its a weird sensation to start with, but its something that you very quickly get used to, and after a while you would no sooner fly without it than fly without a stick and throttle. With FS9 and its 2D panels, then not so important but for FSX, with its emphasis on VCs, its nigh-on essential.

RAF_Quantum wrote:For the hat clip I've got one of those little golfers 'sunshade' jobbies that looks like a baseball cap with no lid on.

I have the same thing and it is much more comfortable to wear in the house especially in the heat of summer.

RAF_Quantum wrote:Just don't let anyone see you wearing it.

BTDT....got the strange looks too!

I wouldn't even consider using a flight sim without a TrackIR, it's like using the arrow keys instead of a joystick without it.

There are situations where you want to freeze your view (like selecting a small switch in a VC cockpit), so just map a key on your joystick to turn it on and off at will.

Cheers guys thats really interesting feedback.

Looks like thats my next FS investment.

Just one more thing. Does it have any impact on the FPS?

Oh and whats the difference between IR4 and IR5?

Cheers.

No impact on FPS for me. With regard to the hat versus clip discussion - I have both. Started with the hat but found that the ambient light and reflections in the area of my computer could confuse the TrackIR reader. The clip with it's 'active' LEDs cured that, but obviously means you need to wear headphones. It's just worth considering you comp's surroundings before deciding. Finally, although it's been mentioned in passing, just to make it clear this works in the VC only. Totally agree with all the other comments regarding it's usefulness and worth. HTH.

Rgds,

Colin

Cheers fro that Colin. Very helpful.